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Former World No.1 Rafael Nadal recently began training for the upcoming season. The Spaniard was spotted on court alongside one of his coaching staff members at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain.
Rafael Nadal last played a professional match at the 2021 Citi Open. Even though his name was on the participant's list for the 2021 National Bank Open, Rafa withdrew right before the Masters tournament due to a foot injury. Unfortunately, the injury ruled him out of the remainder of the 2021 season.
However, the positive news is that the Spaniard looks fit and was training at a reasonably high intensity. In the video, one can see him practicing his forehand in an attempt get his momentum back. This is the first time the 20-time Grand Slam champion has been spotted on court since August 2021.
The Spanish player will make a comeback at the 2021 Mubadala World Tennis Championships, an exhibition tournament that will take place in Abu Dhabi, UAE, from December 16 to December 18, 2021. Interestingly, Nadal might face Andy Murray or Dominic Thiem in one of the matches there.
2021 proved to be a topsy-turvy year for Rafael Nadal
Even though Rafael Nadal won a Masters tournament and an ATP 500 event in 2021, he failed to get his hands on a Grand Slam title. The Spaniard had a golden opportunity to go past Roger Federer's Grand Slam tally at Roland Garros but Novak Djokovic stunned everyone by beating the 'King of Clay' in the semifinals of the Major.
It was during this match that Nadal suffered a foot injury and, as a result, decided to skip both the Tokyo Olympics and the 2021 Wimbledon Championships. Although he returned to the court at the Citi Open, his foot injury reappeared during his first match against Jack Sock and unfortunately, the Spaniard had to end his 2021 season with immediate effect.
Nonetheless, Nadal won his 12th Barcelona Open title and then achieved the 'La Decima' at the Italian Open this year. Despite having an ordinary season for his standards, Nadal still managed to finish the year inside the top-10 in the ATP rankings.
Fans still have huge expectations from Rafael Nadal and are eagerly awaiting his comeback. It will be intriguing to see if he manages to win a Grand Slam title in 2022.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
